Thank You

Read:

Luke 17:11-21
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” (Luke 17:15).

When my grandmother was in her twenties, she became very ill. Nothing she or the doctors tried healed her. She believed there was a God but didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. One day a co-worker told her to visit a house church nearby and ask the people to pray for her. In her desperation, my grandmother decided to go. And after the prayer time, she was healed! This miracle changed her life. Since then, she’s been thanking Jesus daily for healing her body and her soul.

My grandmother’s experience reminds me of the ten men with leprosy Jesus passed by on His way to Jerusalem. They were surely desperate (Luke 17:12). A person who had leprosy in that day was considered unclean, both physically and spiritually, and was supposed to live secluded—outside the city (Leviticus 13:45-46). When the ten men saw Jesus from afar, they recognized His spiritual authority and begged Him to show them mercy.

When Jesus heard their plea, He told them to go and show themselves to the priests, following the Levitical law (Luke 17:14; Leviticus 14:2-6). They obeyed, and on the way they were healed! Only one returned to show his gratitude toward Jesus, however. He didn’t take God’s mercy for granted and found time to thank Jesus to show his appreciation (Luke 17:15-16).

The leper who showed gratitude experienced the restorative work of God’s kingdom through Jesus. He was commended for his faith and received God’s grace, a further healing of his soul (Luke 17:19).

Even when we don’t get physical healing or the answers we desire, may we also welcome Jesus to reign in our hearts and always find reasons to thank Him for what He’s done and is doing. He’s always worthy of our gratitude.

Choose Your Lens

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. — Philippians 4:11-12, NIV

Not long ago, I tried on a pair of jeans at a consignment store that didn’t look so great in the shadowy dressing-room mirror. I was taking them back to the rack when I saw a newer mirror in the main room outside, and decided to take a quick second look. Score! The jeans looked completely different once I looked in a better mirror. The mirrors in the dressing room were older and darker, giving a distorted reflection that almost fooled me.

We’ve all looked at ourselves in distorted mirrors. What we may not realize, though, is that we often see everyday life—especially our challenging circumstances—through a similarly distorted lens. Oh, if only such-and-such was different, I’d feel better, is a common refrain. If only my husband realized what I have to deal with every day is another. The view through that lens makes us discontented and tempts us to grumble. We try to change our discontentment by changing what we think has led to it. We try to amass more money to get out of that tiny apartment. We try to change how our kids appear to the outside world. We try to force our spouse to do things our way (“The right way!”).

The result? Exhaustion. Leading right back to disappointment and discontent.

Or perhaps instead we just grumble a bit about the inconvenience or injustice of the situation. Once those emotions start taking root in our hearts, they often leak out onto our classmates, kids, spouse, coworkers, or friends.

The result? Yet again, exhaustion. Further discontent.

No matter what is going on, we can set aside our “right” to be discontented. Instead, we can take God’s challenge to find contentment in every situation. Instead of looking through the lens that shows the most unflattering perspective, let’s choose the one that changes everything. That lens is called gratitude. Gratitude for everything God has allowed us to have that is good (that we might not be focusing on right now) and gratitude that He is sufficient. Not just sufficient to get us through what is difficult—and bear up both us and the scowl on our face—but sufficient to get us through difficult times with a joyful heart!

Try practicing gratitude today. The facts of the situation won’t change, but your perspective on them will. You may not be able to control your circumstances, but every day you do have control over how you view them.

When the Going Gets Tough

There I was driving along, half hypnotized by the steady flow of traffic. I glanced at the car ahead of me. The bumper sticker read, “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping!” I chuckled. But then I thought: Could you really call yourself “tough” if you headed for the mall every time life went sour? As I drove, I pondered how to really finish that sentence, “When the going gets tough, the tough . . . do what?”

A quick Internet search on the phrase returned endless possibilities for completing the thought. Here are some of the wackiest endings: “When the going gets tough, the tough “go to Asia,” or, the tough “start knitting.” One even said, “The tough lighten up!”

All of these alternative endings are humorous in their own way. But, they also represent ways to deal with “tough going.” For example, shopping could symbolize immediate gratification. Racing off to Asia might mean you’re running away from the problem. Starting to knit is a picture of distracting yourself from the trouble at hand. And if you simply lighten up, or laugh it off—that’s kind of like denial.

I don’t think any of us would get very far in life if we repeatedly chose those responses to trouble. They all contradict the traditional ending to the phrase. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” The tough hang in there; they persevere. James 1:12 says: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life.”

In the Greek language, the word perseverance is literally made up of two words. One means “to remain.” The other word means “under.” That tells us that perseverance is the ability to remain under the pressure of difficulty with a good spirit. As Christians, we have a responsibility to bear the stress until God accomplishes His purposes. This gives us the assurance that our suffering has meaning.

In fact, God intends that we, in time, will blossom under the pressure. That’s why James exhorts us to submit to the trial and let perseverance finish its job of sanctification. In James 1:4, the text tells us, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” And, check out Romans 5:1-21 where Paul says that perseverance produces character!

In addition to the blessings that God brings to us when we persevere, perseverance also allows others to see Christ at work in our lives. With the growing interest in spirituality today, people are watching us more than ever before. They are looking to see if there is anything of value in our walk with Jesus. Or, are we just like anyone else when the going gets tough? They want to know, would a Christian use a string of four-letter words if she lost the big sale? Would a Christian booze it up after a crazy stressful day at the office? What would it take for a Christian to throw in the towel on his marriage? When we invite God to help us through situations like these, He furnishes the power to persevere so that onlookers can see that our Jesus is worth being faithful to regardless of the stress.

The next time a problem comes up and you’re tempted to go shopping, gallivant off to Asia, or knit yourself into oblivion, remember: Since God has a purpose in your problem, it’s worth hanging in there! So, if you are a follower of Jesus, your bumper sticker announces, “When the going gets tough, the tough hang in there!”

Fearless Love

Read:

Reminiscent of an era we wish were bygone, individuals consumed with hatred and prejudice carried torches and shouted slogans from a hideous time in America’s racial history as they marched across a university lawn. Barely twenty-four hours later, the governor of the state in which the school is located declared a state of emergency due to violent clashes. Only the base depravity of sin decries the life of another as less valuable, less human—and only the power of the cross brings us deliverance.

Today, those who claim to speak truth but walk in deception abound, just as they did in the days when the apostle John was writing (1 John 4:1). Significantly, especially in the ongoing reality of racism, John reminded his audience that the Messianic truth of Jesus, God come in human flesh, would be the profession of faith that would unite all believers (1 John 4:2-3). But the primary characteristic of their actions would be love (1 John 4:7-8).

God calls us to love as He loves. Why? These defining points of the life of the believer remind us how God’s pure compassion for us caused Jesus not only to take on our humanity but also to deliver us from its brokenness (1 John 4:9,11). He loved us enough to want to be with us, to share in our pain, and ultimately to free us from the desolation of our own sins (1 John 4:10). In turn, we have been commissioned, even commanded, to love those whom He loves (1 John 4:12,21; John 13:34)—even when they betray us.

The depravity of humanity breeds hatred. We can’t rightly be ambassadors of Jesus’ kingdom unless we instead begin with love. Through Jesus’ power, may we fearlessly love both those who have the love of the Father living in them and those who do not.

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation(Matthew 26:41).

Go not, my friend, into the dangerous world without prayer. You kneel down at night to pray, drowsiness weighs down your eyelids; a hard day’s work is a kind of excuse, and you shorten your prayer, and resign yourself softly to repose. The morning breaks; and it may be you rise late, and so your early devotions are not done, or are done with irregular haste.

No watching unto prayer! Wakefulness once more omitted; and now is that reparable?

We solemnly believe not.

There has been that done which cannot be undone. You have given up your prayer, and you will suffer for it.

Temptation is before you, and you are not ready to meet it. There is a guilty feeling on the soul, and you linger at a distance from God. It is no marvel if that day in which you suffer drowsiness to interfere with prayer be a day in which you shrink from duty.

Moments of prayer intruded on by sloth cannot be made up. We may get experience, but we cannot get back the rich freshness and strength which were wrapped up in those moments.-–Frederick W. Robertson

If Jesus, the strong Son of God, felt it necessary to rise before the breaking of the day to pour out His heart to God in prayer, how much more ought you to pray unto Him who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift, and who has promised all things necessary for our good.

What Jesus gathered into His life from His prayers we can never know; but this we do know, that the prayerless life is a powerless life. A prayerless life may be a noisy life, and fuss around a great deal; but such a life is far removed from Him who, by day and night, prayed to God.-–Selected

A Word to the Wise and Blessed

By: Sharon Elliott

We have heard the old adage: A word to the wise is sufficient. That means it shouldn’t take being hit in the head by a brick for us to understand a lesson. We ought to be able to hear of other folks’ foibles and avoid them by not going down those same roads. The iron is hot; don’t touch it or you’ll get burned.

The story of King Uzziah is an iron-is-hot-word-to-the-wise story. Second Chronicles, chapter 26 lays out his meteoric rise and pathetic plunge. He gained the throne when he was only 16 years old. Since he “did what was right in the sight of the LORD” and “sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God,” we are told that “as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper” 2 Chronicles 26:4-5 (NKJ). In the 52 years that he reigned, the list of his accomplishments grew impressively:

He made war successfully against the Philistines.

He broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod (Philistine cites) and built cities for his own people.

He had the Ammonites bringing him tribute.

He built towers.

He dug many wells for the amazing amount of livestock he had.

He hired farmers and vinedressers because he loved the soil. (He was able to indulge his own passion and pastime.)

He had an army of fighting men loyal to his cause for whom he supplied abundantly so they could carry out their task productively.

In all of this, “God helped him,” (verse 7) and “his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.” (verse 15)

Uzziah’s story should have ended there on an up note, but alas, verse 16 reads,

“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.”

After all those accomplishments, after all the praise and fame, after all that help directly from God, Uzziah felt the need to overstep his boundaries. When the priests tried to warn him about his trespass, he became furious with them (verse 19). Immediately, God protected the office of the priesthood and the honor of His name, and punished Uzziah.

“King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD…” (verse 21).

No matter who we are or how much fame we have, God won’t allow us to dishonor His ways.

We have battles to fight, walls to break down, tribute to receive, towers to build, wells to dig, pastimes to enjoy, and loyal people who will fight for us for whom we can supply need. As long as we seek the Lord, God will help us, prosper us, and cause our fame to spread. It is His good pleasure to marvelously help us until we become strong. Consider these verses:

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32 (NKJ)

Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (The Message Bible)

So a word to the wise and the blessed. God doesn’t mind blessing and helping us. However, let us not allow success and fame brought to us by God go to our heads. Just one moment of thinking more of himself than he ought – of stepping out of his lane – cast Uzziah into a shameful plunge from which he was never able to recover. We are to continue to move forward in God’s amazing blessings, but keep His will in view and keep His honor foremost.

A Blind Man Receives His Sight

35 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, 41 saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

42 Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight;your faith has made you well.”43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

A Blind Man’s Plea

Some years ago a traveling companion noticed I was straining to see objects at a distance. What he did next was simple but life changing. He took off his glasses and said, “Try these.” When I put his glasses on, surprisingly my blurred vision cleared up. Eventually I went to an optometrist who prescribed glasses to correct my vision problem.

Today’s reading in Luke 18 features a man with no vision at all, and living in total darkness had forced him to beg for a living. News about Jesus, the popular teacher and miracle worker, had reached the blind beggar’s ears. So when Jesus’s travel route took Him by where the blind man was sitting, hope was ignited in his heart. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v. 38) he called. Though without sight physically, the man possessed spiritual insight into Jesus’s true identity and faith in Him to meet his need. Compelled by this faith, “He shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (v. 39). The result? His blindness was banished, and he went from begging for his living to blessing God because he could see (v. 43).

In moments or seasons of darkness, where do you turn? Upon what or to whom do you call? Eyeglass prescriptions help improve vision, but it’s the merciful touch of Jesus, God’s Son, that brings people from spiritual darkness to light.

Father, open the eyes of my heart to clearly see who Jesus is and what He can do.

The Father’s delight is to give sight to those who ask Him.

God’s Assurance

My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.

What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, “But ‘The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance.” Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, “I will not fear.” It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you….’ ”

Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— “I will never…forsake you.” Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, “The Lord is my helper,” or are we yielding to fear?

Three Secrets to Finding Happiness

That emotion made sense for others, but not for me. My world had turned dark. Blindness set in at age 31 and happiness was lost. Lost back in my days as a sighted person. Now, only gloom awaited me.

But how wrong I was. The journey from devastation to deep joy wasn’t easy nor fast, but doable. A reminder of that transition, that profound transformation, was stirred during my recent trip to Mexico.

The airport escort guided me as we entered the airplane. The flight attendant handed immigration forms to passengers. “One per family please.”

I sat by the window and after all initial announcements ended I pressed the light to call for assistance.

“Could you please help me fill this out?” I asked the flight attendant who came to the seat.

“Sure. Come with me.”

I gathered my stuff and followed him to the front of the airplane.

“You can sit here,” he said.

I settled in the seat, spacious and comfortable. I stretched out my legs, plenty of room. We finished the form and he asked if I wanted to stay in that seat. I was in first class. “Are you kidding?” I said with a silly grin, “Sure, would love that.”

I made myself comfortable and began to compare. Rather than getting the medicine-size cup of water I would get in the other section of the plane, I got a fresh, cold bottle of water. Rather than the tiny bag of peanuts, I got my choice of appetizers. The trip was, well, unexpectedly delightful.

I had made that same transition after I lost my sight. I had been taking tiny doses of happiness—in relationships, vacations, shopping, activities and superficial pass-times. I thought that was how one finds happiness.

But joy was different. When God offered me a seat in the VIP section of His love, I accepted. And the trip through life turned better.

Painful turbulence came, but His power calmed my heart. With Him as my pilot, guiding my life, momentary, superficial activities masked as happiness belonged in the coach section. Now a sweet, lasting, deep joy danced in my life.

He offers you the very same. He has a seat reserved just for you. And if you desire to leave behind the search to find happiness and instead relish in joy, complete joy that shines through your days, here are three steps we can all follow:

1. Change our perception. Recognize we don’t find happiness. We create it. We craft it by turning the key to unlock our heart and receive the joy God offers. His desire is that we live in complete joy. When happy moments, happy relationships, and happy results come to an end, joy remains.

2. Celebrate the promise God gave. During tough moments, painful stages, it’s not our strength, but His power that lifts us up and carries us through. Relying in that guarantee is what revives joy once again.

3. Call upon Him when sadness, gloom or fear draws near. Calling the powerful name of Jesus silences destructive thoughts of self-pity, loneliness, and discouragement. With them out of the way, joy will glow again.

Happiness ends in time. Joy lasts as long as God’s love. He promised: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9-11).

Father, not human happiness, but your joy is what my soul hungers for. Thank you for the promise, thank you for the joy that fills my days no matter what comes my way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Extending Amazing Grace

Read:

After coming to faith in Jesus, John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace,” made the dramatic change from being a slave trader to influencing the eighteenth-century movement to abolish slavery in England. But he didn’t fully turn to Jesus in the moments when he first famously cried out to God when he thought his ship was sinking. In fact, Newton admitted that he likely wasn’t a true believer until much later.

Newton’s faith would grow and flourish after his first close friendship with a believer, someone who not only instructed him theologically, but also helped him to receive the gift of grace. No longer crippled by his fear of God, Newton would never be the same.

Newton’s story illustrates the need for believers to find mentors in the faith, a truth reflected in Paul’s letter to Titus, where the apostle instructed this church leader to remind the believers in Crete of their new life in Christ. No longer were they “foolish and disobedient” or “slaves to many lusts and pleasures” (Titus 3:3). Instead, they’d been saved, not because of their behavior, but because of God’s mercy (Titus 3:5). In His grace, God had not only cleansed their sin but through the Spirit given them “a new birth and new life” (Titus 3:5).

Paul wanted Titus to “insist on these teachings” (Titus 3:8) so the believers could leave their old life behind and embrace the things of the kingdom of God. They would need mentors like Titus to help them live with Christ-like gentleness and humility.

We can take encouragement from stories like that of John Newton and the church in Crete. Not only can our faith in God be strengthened through fellow believers, but we too can be used to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Never-forsaking God

He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5

What line of thinking do my thoughts take? Do I turn to what God says or to my own fears? Am I simply repeating what God says, or am I learning to truly hear Him and then to respond after I have heard what He says? “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

“I will never leave you…”— not for any reason; not my sin, selfishness, stubbornness, nor waywardness. Have I really let God say to me that He will never leave me? If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.

“I will never…forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful— just the everyday activities of life— do I hear God’s assurance even in these?

We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing— that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life.

Talk to Me

From: Bob Seagress, Author

“Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14 (NASB); “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NASB)

I was walking in my backyard among our palm trees on a beautiful sun-filled Arizona morning. Worry had stolen thankfulness from my heart because I didn’t know how to protect my much-loved trees from what I had read about that morning: voracious beetles were eating the famous palm trees of Pasadena.

Even though we live surrounded by farms and agriculture in the northern part of the Phoenix valley; I was worried about our little grove of palm trees. I was lost in concern that those nasty Pasadena beetles might be planning a trip over the mountains from California to Arizona.

Strangely, I began to hear, “Talk to Me.”

I had heard the same words several times last week as I was intently struggling to write monthly articles for publishers I’m committed to. I had begun wondering whether I was having brain issues. Having experienced a massive stroke and two other life-threatening medical problems within the last year, I thought perhaps I had more damage than I was aware of. Then, it dawned on me that maybe the Lord was trying to get my attention, so I started to pray.

I explained my concern and asked Him to take care of my palm trees. I felt at peace and trusted Jesus as I prayed in His name, as John 14:13-14 had told me. I felt confident because Jesus had promised that if I would ask Him directly for “anything in His name,” He would do it. Feeling free to ask for protection for my palm trees, I claimed the power of Jesus’ name.

To be honest, I felt a bit childish in talking to Him about such a small concern. But, I’ve discovered that being childlike in Jesus’ presence brings comfort and relaxation.

I came to understand that my Lord wanted me to stop getting lost in intently being concerned about how to change things by myself. Spending a good part of my life isolating from my emotions and how much I needed both Jesus and other’s help has caused the loss of much joy for both myself and my family. Having been raised to never show anyone when you are hurt, or afraid; I had thought my heavenly Father also expected this of me.

My palm trees taught me that I usually didn’t talk to Jesus as a good, trustworthy friend (John 15:14) who was concerned about what was bothering me. I was afraid of bothering Him with small things because He is so important and deals with such important things. My talking about beetles seemed to be a self-centered attitude.

Then, my heart opened in a new way to Jesus —I felt He loved me and wanted to talk to me about everyday life. He wanted to know what was bothering me, even if was beetles. With this understanding came wonderful warmth and relaxation.

I learned that if God’s children will talk to Jesus about what tightens them up and leave it with Him, they will start learning about what prayer really is. We will find a peace and relaxation that nothing in this life provides. Our families will stop missing out on a lot of joy and peace that we forfeit when we don’t talk to Jesus personally about our strain, worries, and fears.

Claiming the power of Jesus’ name during our prayers, we are strong in the trust that Jesus is in charge and will deal with what is bothering us. Talking to Jesus about everyday life is a recipe for satisfaction.

The Greatest thing to hear during Jesus’ time was that “He is coming into your village.”

He brought hope and healing.

Out of Luck

From: Joe Stowell

Jun

03

2018

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11

An oft-quoted movie line comes from Napoleon Dynamite. The line closes the film, after Napoleon’s brother, Kip, gets married and rides off on horseback with his new bride. If you’re a closet Napoleon fan (or have a 14 year old in your home), you know it well:

“Lucky-y-y!”

I don’t want to spend a lot of time analyzing Napoleon Dynamite, but I do want to talk with you about “luck.” First, it’s important to know that the words luck and, for that matter, coincidence are not in God’s vocabulary. God’s hand is at work in every situation, coordinating every detail to accomplish His purposes for His glory and our good. No event is random. No moment is beyond His notice or beyond His control. Christian thinkers and writers have often called this the “providence” of God and, given its importance, let’s think through its implications for our lives.

At one extreme, the providence of God is challenged by post-modern thinkers who tell us that everything happens by chance. For them, life has no ultimate meaning and our only goal is to scrape together enough pleasure and possessions to create some semblance of purpose and enjoyment in life. With such an empty perspective on life, it’s no wonder that lives end up being a string of “sex-capades,” or the pursuit of new and strange pleasures. It answers the question why binge drinking on college campuses is at an all-time high.

At the other end of the spectrum is the distortion of God’s providence by assigning everything in life to “fate”—a fate that portrays us as victims of circumstances entirely outside of our control, leaving us to twist in the whims of a capricious being who manipulates our lives for his own amusement.

It’s time for us to get a biblical view about luck, randomness, fate, and the providence of a good and powerful God!

The God described in the Bible loves His creation passionately and has plans for His people that are supremely good. Not plans of calamity and despair, but plans that are good. If you believe in the providence of God, all of history is moving to a grand and glorious end—the crushing of Satan and evil and the emergence of the new heaven and earth, where all is good and righteous. Where life is full of joy, peace, comfort, and happiness in the presence of God—forever!

I’ll be the first to admit that trusting in God’s providence is hard to do when it comes to difficult circumstances over which I have no control. God’s work is often behind-the-scenes, hidden from our view. He doesn’t give a play-by-play on everything He is doing to coordinate the details of His providential plans. In fact, often His work is most clearly seen in the rearview mirror. But I’ve looked back enough times to see and trust that my life is not a product of good or bad luck, or of random coincidences. It is divinely shaped and guided by the providential hand of God toward a wonderful conclusion.

So today, let’s choose to align our perspective and even our vocabulary with God’s. No more “luck” and no more “coincidences”! It won’t make for memorable movie quotes, but it will make for an infinitely more meaningful and biblically lived life!

A Present Preview

Read:

I know of family members who open one small gift on the eve of their birthdays. This makes for a fun “preview” of the excitement of opening the rest of the gifts the next day.

Unwrapping one of the many gifts to come parallels one of the great mysteries about God’s kingdom. Even as Jesus announced the “Good News”—the arrival of God’s kingdom on earth (Mark 1:15)—He explained that the kingdom of God would not come all at once. He likened it to a tiny seed that would eventually become a great tree (Matthew 13:31-32). Today, we often describe this tension as “already, but not yet”.

Already. Jesus has defeated the curse of sin and death that opposes God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:20). New creation began in a powerful way the morning Jesus rose from the dead. All that God has promised began to come true, available to be experienced through Christ. But it has yet to arrive fully, to pervade all creation. That time will come in the future (Ephesians 1:10).

Not yet. In the meantime, Jesus told us, life will have its difficulties. On the eve of His crucifixion, He warned His followers, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” But He was careful to connect His warning to hope: “Take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus didn’t encourage His followers to “take heart” because life was going to get easier, but because the broken, disheartening aspects of life won’t have the last word. The good news of God’s kingdom holds the final say! Christ’s resurrection marked the turning point toward an end to all that is broken.

So take heart. Though it may not always look like it, little pieces of God’s kingdom are slowly falling into place.

On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” — Mark 4:35

Even when we go forth at Christ’s command, we need not expect to escape storms; for these disciples were going forth at Christ’s command, yet they encountered the fiercest storm and were in great danger of being overwhelmed, so that they cried out in their distress for Christ’s assistance.

Though Christ may delay His coming in our time of distress, it is only that our faith may be tried and strengthened, and that our prayers may be more intense, and that our desires for deliverance may be increased, so that when the deliverance does come we will appreciate it more fully.

Christ gave them a gentle rebuke, saying, “Where is your faith?” Why did you not shout victory in the very face of the storm, and say to the raging winds and rolling waves, “You can do no harm, for Christ, the mighty Savior is on board”?

It is much easier to trust when the sun is shining than when the storm is raging.

We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.

If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, your strength will be born in some storm.–Selected

“With Christ in the vessel,I smile at the storm.”

Christ said, “Let us go to the other side”—not to the middle of the lake to be drowned.–Dan Crawford

No Bother

Read:

Mark 10:13-16
Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children (Mark 10:14).

Four-year-old David climbed into bed one night and folded his hands to pray. “Dear God, thank You for Lego Star Wars,” he said. “General Grievous has four lightsabers! Watch.” He stood up on the bed and began a dramatic rendition of a battle in the air using imaginary lightsabers. His mom tried not to laugh as she watched. David finished his performance, dropped back down on the bed, and folded his hands again. “Amen!”

Children approach God so differently, don’t they? As adults, we sometimes worry about bothering God with the little things. But we can actually go to Him for anything! In fact, we’re encouraged to “pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6).

In Mark 10, parents who wanted their little ones to be blessed came to Jesus, but the disciples were sending them away, not wanting them to bother Him (Mark 10:13). But Jesus responded, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15).

As adults, we’re prone to feel as if we have to earn the right to approach God and enjoy life in His kingdom. But children receive the kingdom as a gift. They can remind us that all we really have to do is receive what Jesus offers.

Let’s learn from the children in our lives how to receive the gift of God’s kingdom. God loves us so much that He cares about the things we find exciting, things that grab our attention or capture our imagination. Don’t be afraid to “bother” God by thanking Him and praying about the little things. If it matters to you, it matters to Him, because He cares for and loves you!

Are You Obsessed by Something?

Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, “No, by nothing,” but all of us are obsessed by something— usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to “live and move and have our being” in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.

If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives— not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.

“He himself shall dwell in prosperity…” (Psalm 25:13). God will cause us to “dwell in prosperity,” keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. “God is our refuge…” (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.

(Picture of Abraham listening to God’s Voice)

From: Streams In The Desert

Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, “so will your descendants be.” Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. — Rom 4:18-19

We shall never forget a remark that George Mueller once made to a gentleman who had asked him the best way to have strong faith.

d“The only way,” replied the patriarch of faith, “to learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” This is very true. The time to trust is when all else fails.

Dear one, you scarcely realize the value of your present opportunity; if you are passing through great afflictions you are in the very soul of the strongest faith, and if you will only let go, He will teach you in these hours the mightiest hold upon His throne which you can ever know.

“Be not afraid, only believe.” And if you are afraid, just look up and say, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee,” and you will yet thank God for the school of sorrow which was to you the school of faith.–A. B. Simpson

“Great faith must have great trials.”

“God’s greatest gifts come through travail. Whether we look into the spiritual or temporal sphere, can we discover anything, any great reform, any beneficent discovery, any soul-awakening revival, which did not come through the toils and tears, the vigils and blood-shedding of men and women whose sufferings were the pangs of its birth? If the temple of God is raised, David must bear sore afflictions; if the Gospel of the grace of God is to be disentangled from Jewish tradition, Paul’s life must be one long agony.”

“Take heart, O weary, burdened one, bowed down Beneath thy cross;Remember that thy greatest gain may come Through greatest loss.Thy life is nobler for a sacrifice, And more divine.Acres of bloom are crushed to make a drop Of perfume fine.

“Because of storms that lash the ocean waves, The waters thereKeep purer than if the heavens o’erhead Were always fair.The brightest banner of the skies floats not At noonday warm;The rainbow traileth after thunder-clouds, And after storm.”

( Pictures of Bible people who stopped and listened to God)

Stop

My friend and I sat in the sand, near the ever-rhythmic ocean. As the sun sank in the distance, wave after wave curled, paused and then rippled toward our extended toes, stopping just short each time. “I love the ocean,” she smiled. “It moves so I don’t have to.”

What a thought! So many of us struggle to stop. We do, do, do and go, go, go, somehow afraid that if we cease our efforts we will cease to be. Or that by stopping we will expose ourselves to the ever-present realities we work to keep at bay.

In Psalm 46:8–9, God flexes His omnipotent muscles, putting His power on display. “Come and see what the Lord has done . . . . He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.” God is a busy God, who works to create calm within the chaos of our days.

And then in verse 10 we read, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Of course it’s possible to know God while running here and there. But the psalmist’s invitation to cease striving beckons us into a different kind of knowing. A knowing that we can stop—and still be—because God never stops. A knowing that it is God’s power that gives us ultimate value, protection, and peace.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV)

Last week, my 19-year-old decided to head out on an adventure. Ever the nature-lover, he bundled up and drove three hours north to spend a few hours hiking and stargazing.

His final destination was Wilderness State Park, a 10,000-acre lush parcel of land that boasts wildlife including bobcats, mink, muskrats, otters, American black bears and even wolves! It’s also been designated a dark sky preserve, where rules restrict light pollution to allow for the best viewing of the night atmosphere.

While I loved seeing my son so excited to gaze at the heavens that rather chilly night, my mind kicked into mama-mode. I worried about him being all alone. In the dark. However, since he’s an adult, I couldn’t forbid him to go. I did, however, strike a compromise and he agreed to turn on the “share my location” feature on his phone so I could track where he was at all times. And yes — also alert the authorities if he failed to return.

He had a glorious time that night simply walking and looking up at the night sky. Because there was no light pollution to dilute the dark, the stars and constellations were the most vivid he’d ever seen. Stars shine brightest when they are up against the pure blackness of night.

The Apostle Paul declares that Christians who behave as God’s Word instructs shine like stars in the universe, especially when they’re placed alongside those whose behavior is dark and sinful. Philippians 2:14-16 states:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.”

To understand the assertion Paul is making in this passage, let’s work our way through it backward.

He says Christians are to hold firmly to the word of life. The phrase “word of life” refers to the words of life contained in Scripture — especially the life-changing message of the gospel.

How are we to hold to these words? Firmly. We may think this depicts us holding tightly — which it does, in part. However, the original Greek phrase means both to hold tight and to hold forth. We as believers should be holding forth the Word, living it out before others and sharing the gospel whenever we can.

We’re told we will shine like stars. Our behavior as children of God will be visibly detected next to the behavior of unbelievers, which is often warped and crooked. Just like the stars my son saw that night, others will take note of the brightness of the light — the clashing contrast between the godly behavior of Christians and the pollution of sin displayed in the world.

When we look at the very beginning of this passage, however, we’re given the key to how all of this counter-culture different behavior begins. It begins when we choose to refuse to grumble or argue. Oh, it doesn’t just say we should occasionally refrain from such verbal misbehavior. Read it again.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. In the Greek, the word everything means … everything!

Choose not to grumble when you feel your home or possessions aren’t as nice as your neighbors, but be thankful that you have food, clothing and shelter.

Choose not to argue with your co-worker or family member over something trivial, but discuss it in a calm, civil tone instead.

Choose not to grumble when performing chores around the home or running errands for the third time this week. Instead, be grateful you’re well enough to perform such tasks.

Choose not to argue on social media, attempting to make your point with a zing that might sting a little, proving your position is completely correct and the other person is way off base.

Our behavior as Christians can stand out to the world, holding forth the word of life, showing the way of salvation. But it all begins when we watch our words: choosing gratitude over grumbling and refusing to get tangled up in a verbal spat.

This, friends, is how we shine the light of Jesus in the world.

Father, please empower me to refrain from grumbling and complaining. I want my behavior to reflect Your Word, holding it forth to shine so others may find their way to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Hide and Seek

John P. King, Author

I don’t know about you, but for me, waiting is tough! I hate to wait. Why is waiting so hard? Because waiting implies that we do not have control over our circumstances or the timing of events in our lives. We like to think that we own our destiny, yet if we are honest we would admit that we can barely see beyond today.

We might have plans and dreams, but really, today are we where we thought we would be five, 10, or 15 years ago? So who is to say where we will be in the future? Only God knows that. In my experience, He usually remains rather silent on the issue of disclosing what is to come. He allows us to walk day by day and sometimes those days seem to drag out. Whether there is something we really want to do, or even when we feel like we have no direction whatsoever, the times and seasons of our lives can become unbearable.

Can become unbearable, if we let them. Psalm 27 is a wonderful Psalm that can help us through those difficult, unexplainable times. In this passage, David is expressing angst over the adversaries in his life but he also lets the deep cry of his heart come out. It is a cry that is centered on his desire to simply be with God.

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.” Psalm 27:4 (NASB)

More than anything, David wanted to be with the Lord. Verses 8 and 9 continue the thought:

“When you said, ‘Seek my face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.’ Do not hide your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation!” Psalm 27:8-9 (NASB)

The Lord had given David the challenge – “Seek my face.” David understood the challenge and knew that sometimes, seeking God’s face is easier said than done. Why? Because as was mentioned earlier, our plans and dreams don’t always turn out as we expected. Sometimes, it appears God plays a game of hide and seek. Finding Him is not as simple as it may seem. It takes work to find God.

David closes the Psalm with a great encouragement.

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 (NASB)

There was a firmly rooted conviction in David’s heart – no matter how tough, bizarre, or long the days seemed, he knew he was going to see the goodness of God in his life. Holding fast to this truth allowed him to endure and, quite literally, changed the rules of the game from “hide and seek” to “wait and seek.” David goes on to say in Verse 14 (NASB),

“Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”

If we believe that God has good things for us, we will be willing to wait for them. Courage will give us the strength to wait for God while we seek him. Sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it? Just like in the real game of hide and seek, everyone wants to be found. Those in the best hiding places will eventually reveal themselves if the seeker is patient. If by faith we seek God by waiting for Him, He will inevitably come to us.

Read:

As many have sadly experienced firsthand, an all-too-real problem is the failure of Christian communities to really embody Christ’s love. Author Mary DeMuth describes how, in an insidious way, spiritually abusive leaders can even distort the gospel into a “culture of fear and shame.” Such leaders use guilt and fear to manipulate others into compliance with their own rules.

How different from the way the New Testament describes the community of faith. As Paul explains, in the past God’s people did need an emphasis on “laws etched in stone” to motivate obedience (2 Corinthians 3:7). Yet just obeying the rules couldn’t transform their “hardened” hearts (2 Corinthians 3:14). On its own, the law brought condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:6,9).

But because Jesus has carried our guilt and shame and given us new life, we don’t need to be driven by fear or endless rules to change. We’re transformed simply by believing in Him (2 Corinthians 3:14,16). As we “see and reflect” His glory, the Spirit makes us “more and more like him” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

This means that the family of faith must never reject this “new way” and return to fear or legalism. If our fears drive us to manipulate others into compliance with “underhanded methods,” we terribly “distort the word of God” (2 Corinthians 4:1-2). Instead of drawing others to Him, our attempts at control actually turn them away from His love.

Instead, may we fearlessly let His love and power shine in the “fragile clay jars” of our imperfect lives (2 Corinthians 4:7). May we love others so much we’re willing to suffer for them so that “the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10).

When the family of faith chooses love over fear, the world will be able to see the truth that, in Him, we can finally be free (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Put God First

Jesus did not commit Himself to them…for He knew what was in man. —John 2:24-25

Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for others. If I put my trust in human beings first, the end result will be my despair and hopelessness toward everyone. I will become bitter because I have insisted that people be what no person can ever be— absolutely perfect and right. Never trust anything in yourself or in anyone else, except the grace of God.

Put God’s Will First. “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9).

A person’s obedience is to what he sees to be a need— our Lord’s obedience was to the will of His Father. The rallying cry today is, “We must get to work! The heathen are dying without God. We must go and tell them about Him.” But we must first make sure that God’s “needs” and His will in us personally are being met. Jesus said, “…tarry…until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The purpose of our Christian training is to get us into the right relationship to the “needs” of God and His will. Once God’s “needs” in us have been met, He will open the way for us to accomplish His will, meeting His “needs” elsewhere.

Put God’s Son First. “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matthew 18:5).

God came as a baby, giving and entrusting Himself to me. He expects my personal life to be a “Bethlehem.” Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God? God’s ultimate purpose is that His Son might be exhibited in me.

Trusting in the Name Above All Names

“Bed rest,” Dr. Omar declares. “The bleeding is caused by placenta previa — a condition where the placenta is located too close to the uterus’ opening. Unless this is reversed it is likely that you’ll lose this baby.”

You don’t always receive the words of your doctor — sometimes not at all. But they must be considered. Yes, they are often like the taunting from a giant across the field of battle. “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”

But you know who you are. You are part of the army of God — the one true God who created the universe.

How can this uncircumcised Philistine dare to say the things he is saying about your God? When he taunts you, he is coming against the Holy One of Israel — because you are His child, and the apple of His eye.

Yes, you know who you are — but the words must be considered.

While the threats try to fill your mind, other words are ignited in your conscience; familiar words of life that crowd out the words of death.

“He will live and not die, and declare the glory of the Lord.”

“No weapon formed against us shall prosper.”

“If God is for us who can be against us.”

Fight, we will. Yes, we will consider these words, and we will talk back with more powerful oratory — “The Name that is above all names.”

And so, bed rest it is. For while our weapons of warfare are not carnal, we will not put our God to a foolish test. Yes, we trust that God is well able to heal — through the hands of a physician, or any way He chooses.

After two days in bed, the bleeding persists. Three, four, five days and no change. We miss church on the sixth day, and the brethren are asked to pray.

The seventh day comes and still no change. Then the telephone rings. “We have been seeking God for a healing in our own lives,” the brother tells us. “We’ve been reading a book that talks about the bathing prayer.”

“Bathing prayer?” It sounds familiar, but I’m not quite sure what it is.

“The book was written by Francis MacNutt. In the bathing prayer, you play worship music and just pray until you don’t feel like praying anymore.”

Praying through — I remember the concept from church. “Sure, come on over.”

Worship tapes come in the mail every other month from Integrity music. They are soothing and inspiring. They usher you into the presence of God. We decide to play one of those while we bathe the baby in prayer.

The brother and sister come to the door. We live in an upstairs apartment so I go down to greet them. Mother is already in the ‘hot seat’ when we come into the room. That’s was what we call it at cell group — ‘the hot seat’ — the chair in the middle of the room that people sit in when it’s their turn to receive prayer. I turn on the worship tape and we start to exalt the Lord.

No matter what the enemy is yelling across the battlefield, our hope is in God. We will go forth in praise to meet our foe.

The battle is the Lord’s.

In time, the enemy is engaged. We will not receive the report of the evil one. One by one we pray as the Holy Spirit places the words on our hearts. When one is finished the others worship along with the recorded choir, or pray in tongues — allowing the Spirit of God to pray through us in a heavenly language. And then another prays in English, declaring the promises of God over the baby and Mother.

A half an hour goes by. Then forty-five minutes. Suddenly, a great boldness sweeps over me. The Devil will not have this child. Goliath will not feed our bones to the dogs. I begin to prophesy.

“This child will live and not die, and declare the glory of the Lord. For this child will have the spirit of David. He will be bold. He will not shy away from the lion or the bear. He will not allow the words of the giant to go unmet. He will have a warrior spirit within him. The Spirit of the Living God will be upon him and he will do great exploits in His Name.”

“Yes, the Name that is above every other name.”

Twenty more minutes go by, and then things grow quiet. We had prayed through. The tape comes to an end and the room is silent, other than a whispered: “Thank you, Jesus.”

Suddenly the brother speaks. “I don’t normally do this,” he says awkwardly, “but as you were giving the word of the Lord, I felt like God said this baby would be a boy.”

Mother nods her head, smiling. “Yes,” she agrees, “and the Lord said that we were to name him David.”

It is a moment. Each person in the room is confident that we have met God. Tears fill the eyes of the sister and she squeezes both of our hands tightly.

Two more days go by and it is time to visit Doctor Omar again. Would the giant have any more words?

“I don’t know what to say,” he exclaims, smiling and shaking his head. “The placenta is no longer compromised and the bleeding has all but stopped.”

We smile with him and give glory to the Name that is above all names.

David is in third grade now. He should be in second, but he finished Kindergarten in less than half a year, and first grade in the other half. His teacher tells us that he races through his lessons in school and has to wait for everyone else to finish. “If it weren’t for the trouble with his handwriting, I wouldn’t have any difficulty with him at all,” she tells us.

Whose report will we believe? The report of the warrior who says, “The battle is the Lord’s.”

John 10:9-16

A New Language

Read:

Acts 2:1-13
Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages (Acts 2:4).

Many years ago, a hurricane forced my wife Miska and me to evacuate a resort in Cancun, Mexico, where we were celebrating our tenth anniversary. On our way to the airport, I got lost and stopped for directions. Unfortunately, I couldn’t understand the people who tried to help since they were speaking in Spanish. Finally, I called a bilingual friend and had them talk to the clerk at a service station. Fortunately, we made it in time for the last flight out that day.

I remember how lost I felt with no way to communicate, and when in desperation I landed on the idea of calling my friend, it was like a whole new way opened up. When I got him on the phone, I sensed we were going to be okay.

On the day of Pentecost, thousands of Jewish pilgrims descended on Jerusalem. Using modern geography, people had gathered from Iran, Palestine, Israel, Syria, Turkey, North Africa, Rome, and beyond (Acts 2:9-11). And remarkably, when Peter began to proclaim the story of Jesus, the Holy Spirit wove the words in such a beautiful way that these disparate travelers “came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken” (Acts 2:6 NIV). It was astounding.

Over the course of that miraculous day, thousands came to believe in and follow Jesus (Acts 2:41). When the Holy Spirit came, people spoke in new languages, but even more important was what those new languages made possible. Those who had been enemies were now friends. Those who had been confused now saw the truth clearly. Those who had been far from God were now drawn into God’s powerful story. We hear God’s new language every time He opens our eyes or ears, and we understand His love as if for the very first time.

The church’s love to her loving Lord

From: Charles Spurgeon

‘Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?’ Song of Solomon 1:7

When Tigranes and his wife were both taken prisoners by Cyrus, turning to Tigranes, he said, ‘What will you give for the liberation of your wife?’ The king answered, ‘I love my wife so that I would cheerfully give up my life if she might be delivered from servitude;’ whereupon Cyrus said that if there was such love as that between them, they might both go free. So when they were away and many were talking about the beauty and generosity of Cyrus, and especially about the beauty of his person, Tigranes, turning to his wife, asked her what she thought of Cyrus, and she answered that she saw nothing anywhere but in the face of the man who had said that he would die if she might only be released from servitude. ‘The beauty of that man,’ she said, ‘makes me forget all others.’ And verily we would say the same of Jesus. We would not decry the angels, nor think ill of the saints, but the beauties of that man who gave his life for us are so great that they have eclipsed all others, and our soul only wishes to see him and not another; for, as the stars hide their heads in the presence of the sun, so may you all be gone, delights and excellencies, when Christ Jesus, the chief delight, the chief excellency, makes his appearance. Seeing him, you must love him. It was said of Henry VIII, that if all portraits of tyrants, and murderers, and thieves were out of existence, they might all be painted from the one face of Henry VIII; and turning that round another way, we will say, that if all the excellencies, beauties, and perfections of the human race were blotted out, they might all be painted again from the face of the Lord Jesus.

A present religion

We need not talk of walking righteously, and soberly, in the world to come—

“There all is pure, and all is clear, There all is joy and love.”

There will be no duty to discharge between the tradesmen and the customers, between the debtor and the creditor, between the father and the child, between the husband and the wife, in heaven, for all these relationships will have passed away. Religion must be intended for this life; the duties of it cannot be practised, unless they are practised here. But besides these, there are other duties devolving upon the Christian. Though it is every man’s duty to be honest and sober, the Christian has another code of law. It is the Christian’s duty to love his enemies, to be at peace with all men, to forgive as he hopes to be forgiven; it is his duty not to resist evil, when smitten on the one cheek to turn the other also; it is his duty to give to him that asketh of him, and from him that would borrow of him not to turn away—he is to be a liberal soul, devising liberal things. It is the Christian’s duty to visit his Master’s children when they are sick, so that it may be said to him at last, “I was sick, and naked, and in prison, and ye visited me, and ministered to my necessities.” Now, if religion be not a thing for this world, I ask you how it is possible to perform its duties at all? There are no poor in heaven whom we can comfort and visit; there are no enemies in heaven whom we can graciously forgive; and there are not injuries inflicted, or wrongs endured, which we can bear with patience. Religion must have been intended in the very first place for this world, it must have been meant that now we should be the sons of God.

For meditation: Faith in Christ is the qualification for a place in heaven; work for Christ is the qualification for rewards in heaven in addition to a place in heaven (Matthew 10:40-42).

Gazing at the Horizon

Almost as soon as the ferryboat started to move, my little daughter said she felt ill. Seasickness had already begun to affect her. Soon I was feeling queasy myself. “Just stare at the horizon,” I reminded myself. Sailors say this helps to regain a sense of perspective.

The Maker of the horizon (Job 26:10) knows that sometimes in life we may become fearful and restless. We can regain perspective by focusing on the distant but steady point of our destiny.

The writer of Hebrews understood this. He sensed discouragement in his readers. Persecution had driven many of them from their homes. So he reminded them that other people of faith had endured extreme trials and had been left homeless. They endured it all because they anticipated something better.

As exiles, these readers could look forward to the city whose architect is God, the heavenly country, the city God prepared for them (Hebrews 11:10, 14, 16). So in his final exhortations, the writer asked his readers to focus on God’s promises. “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (13:14).

Our present troubles are temporary. We are “foreigners and strangers on earth” (11:13), but gazing at the horizon of God’s promises provides the point of reference we need.

Father, in the midst of troubles, help me to focus on Your promises.

Focus on God and regain perspective.

Justice satisfied

From: Charles Spurgeon

“Just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

I have heard of Mr John Wesley, that he was attended in most of his journeyings by one who loved him very much, and was willing, I believe, to have died for him. Still he was a man of a very stubborn and obstinate disposition, and Mr Wesley was not perhaps the very kindest man at all times. Upon one occasion he said to this man, “Joseph, take these letters to the post.” “I will take them after preaching, sir.” “Take them now, Joseph,” said Mr Wesley. “I wish to hear you preach, sir; and there will be sufficient time for the post after service.” “I insist upon your going now, Joseph.” “I will not go at present.” “You won’t?” “No, sir.” “Then you and I must part,” said Mr Wesley. “Very good, sir.” The good men slept over it. Both were early risers. At four o’clock the next morning, the refractory helper was accosted with, “Joseph, have you considered what I said—that we must part?” “Yes, sir.” “And must we part?” “Please yourself, sir.” “Will you ask my pardon, Joseph?” “No, sir.” “You won’t?” “No, sir.” “Then I will ask yours, Joseph!” Poor Joseph was instantly melted, and they were at once reconciled. When once the grace of God has entered the heart, a man ought to be ready to seek forgiveness for an injury done to another. There is nothing wrong in a man confessing an offence against a fellow-man, and asking pardon for the wrong he has done him. If you have done aught, then, against any man, leave thy gift before the altar, and go and make peace with him, and then come and make peace with God. You are to make confession of your sin to God. Let that be humble and sincere. You cannot mention every offence, but do not hide one.

For meditation: If we cannot bring ourselves to apologise to and to forgive those we have seen, we must know little about true confession to and the forgiveness of God whom we have not seen (Matthew 6:14,15; 1 John 4:20).

I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. (John 15:15)

Years ago there was an old German professor whose beautiful life was a marvel to his students. Some of them resolved to know the secret of it; so one of their number hid in the study where the old professor spent his evenings.

It was late when the teacher came in. He was very tired, but he sat down and spent an hour with his Bible. Then he bowed his head in secret prayer; and finally closing the Book of books, he said,

“Well, Lord Jesus, we’re on the same old terms.”

To know Him is life’s highest attainment; and at all costs, every Christian should strive to be “on the same old terms with Him.”

The reality of Jesus comes as a result of secret prayer, and a personal study of the Bible that is devotional and sympathetic. Christ becomes more real to the one who persists in the cultivation of His presence.

Speak thou to Him for He heareth,And spirit with spirit will meet!
Nearer is He than breathing,
Nearer than hands and feet.
—Maltbie D. Babcock

The Safest Place to Be

The disciples could hardly believe their ears. Had Jesus forgotten how the Jews in Jerusalem recently tried to kill him? Why in the world would he want to put his life in danger by going back to Judea? (See John 11:1-16) But Jesus had just announced his intention to go to Bethany in response to a message that his friend Lazarus was sick. This news alarmed the disciples since Bethany was a mere two miles from Jerusalem; they tried to change his mind. “Rabbi, not long ago the Jews wanted to stone you to death,” they reminded him. “Do you really want to go back there?”

Jesus answered their questions with a metaphor that contrasted walking in the light versus walking in darkness. He explained that people who walk during the “day” don’t have to worry about stumbling because they have the knowledge of God’s will to guide them, but those who walk in the darkness of their own understanding and self-reliance are likely to fall. Jesus understood what his well-intentioned disciples did not: as long as he submitted to God’s plan for his life, no harm could come to him until the appointed time of his crucifixion. Jesus had no need to fear his enemies.

God has given each one of us a purpose and specific work to accomplish for him. As long as we’re doing our best to follow his plan for our life, we don’t need to worry about our safety. Nothing and no one on the earth can successfully interfere with God’s purposes. But it’s dangerous to leave the light of God’s truth and walk down a path of disobedience. It’s foolish to let ourselves be guided by the world’s standards and advice or by our own understanding if those things contradict God’s Word. That would be like traveling down a rocky road on a dark night with no source of light to guide us; we can expect to stumble and fall.

Any time we stray from God’s will, we make ourselves vulnerable to temptations, Satan’s traps, and spiritual deceptions, leading us to make unwise choices that can bring serious consequences. The only truly safe place to be is in the center of God’s will for our life. As long as we follow where he leads, we’ll be protected—even in situations that appear threatening or dangerous to human eyes. Letting our decisions and movements be shaped by obedience to God will set us free from fear concerning our welfare and safety. We may have to walk through some dark valleys on our life journey, but even in the shadow of death we have the security of knowing that we are never walking alone. The Light of the world is always right there with us.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. Psalms 23:4 (NKJV)

Ask yourself: Am I walking in the safety of God’s will for my life, or have I strayed from the path of his commands?

Post navigation

Random bible verse

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.